Sex Scandal Hits Women’s Field Hockey

India’s national sport has been rocked by fresh controversy after a member of the women’s national field hockey team complained to the sport’s leading body about alleged sexual harassment by the coaching staff.

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Members of the national women hockey team wear black bands as a mark of protest against the delay in payment of their dues during a practice session in Bhopal on January 21, 2010.

Narinder Batra, the secretary general of Hockey India – the sport’s governing body here — told India Real Time Wednesday that a videographer for the Indian women’s hockey team was sacked following allegations of sexual exploitation against him, chief coach M. K. Kaushik and other members of the support staff.

Mr. Batra explained that the decision was taken by Hockey India’s four-member panel constituted after a national team player, Ranjitha Devi, accused the entire backroom staff of pressurizing team members for sexual favors.

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In the wake of the accusations, Mr. Kaushik, the chief coach, has submitted his resignation and also withdrawn himself from the Asian Champions Trophy in South Korea that begins July 27, Mr. Batra said. Mr. Kaushik could face a life ban from the sports if the allegations prove true. He could not be reached for comment.

This is not the first time the country’s national sport has been making headlines for the wrong reasons. In January this year, the national 22-man hockey squad had boycotted training in the western city of Pune over demands that they be paid for past victories and strong performances in competitions and international matches.

The crisis threatened to embarrass India for the hockey World Cup that was held in New Delhi in February and for the Commonwealth Games in the capital later this year. Their demand, however, was met by the field-hockey authorities after Indian conglomerate Sahara India, which sponsors the team, said it would release $200,000 to be distributed among the striking players.

Women’s hockey traditionally has had a much lower profile. But the women’s sport shot to prominence with the Bollywood film Chak de India, released in 2007, starring Shahrukh Khan. But the scandal threatens to undermine the gains in the sport’s popularity that the film – a feel-good tale about an Indian women’s hockey squad – brought to the sport.

“It is a shameful chapter in Indian hockey,” said Mr. Batra.

Mr. Batra said he received an unidentified email last week alleging that a team videographer on tours of China and Canada brought girls to his hotel room. The email also accused other staff members of seeking favors from women hockey players.

“I must talk to the coach and the girl who has made the allegations of sexual harassment separately,” Vidya Stokes, the president of Hockey India, told television news channels Wednesday. “The assistant coach will travel with the team in the meantime. Hopefully, everything would be sorted out soon,” Ms. Stokes said.

K.P.S. Gill, the former chief of the now-defunct India Hockey Federation, told India Real Time that a police case should be registered and a wide-ranging inquiry should be held. “Only one lady has complained so far; others will also come out if they are assured of justice,” he said.

A New Delhi-based hockey writer, K. Arumugam, said the controversy saying it is a setback to women’s hockey — a sport that has been played in India since the early 1920s. In 1948, the All India Women Hockey Federation was formed and the team entered the international arena in 1950s.

“This sends a wrong message throughout the country,” Mr. Arumugam said. “No one will send their daughters to play hockey for the country.”

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